Making Evaluation our own – African Evaluation Tradition, Theory & Practice Sulley Gariba Institute for Policy Alternatives, Ghana

Background Special stream on this theme coordinated by Zender Ofir in Niamey, 2007 concluded that: Most evaluations in Africa based on external values & driven by donor accountability mechanisms The methods, tools and approaches for these evaluations are those in which African evaluators are less skilled in; and leadership of those evaluations tend to be external. Consequently the level of contributions that these evaluations provide for development in Africa is minimal

The conference adopted a Motion For evaluation to contribute more meaningfully to development in Africa, there is a need to re-examine the paradigms that guide evaluation practice on the continent. Africa rooted and Africa led M&E requires ensuring that African values and ways of constructing knowledge are considered as valid. This implies that: 1.African evaluation standards and practices should be based on African values and world views 2.The existing body of knowledge on African values and worldviews should be central to guiding and shaping evaluation in Africa 3.There is a need to foster and develop the intellectual leadership and capacity within Africa and ensure that it plays a greater role in guiding and developing evaluation theories and practices.

Call for Action by AfrEA AfrEA guides and supports the development of African guidelines to operationalise the African evaluation standards and; in doing so, ensure that both the standards and operational guidelines are based on the existing body of knowledge on African values and worldviews; AfrEA works with its networks to support and develop institutions, such as Universities, to enable them to establish evaluation as a profession and meta discipline within Africa; AfrEA identifies mechanisms in which African evaluation practitioners can be mentored and supported by experienced African evaluation professionals; AfrEA engages with funding agencies to explore opportunities for developing and adopting evaluation methodologies and practices that are based on African values and worldviews and advocate for their inclusion in future evaluations; AfrEA encourages and supports knowledge generated from evaluation practice within Africa to be published and profiled in scholarly publications. This may include: Supporting the inclusion of peer reviewed publications on African evaluation in international journals on evaluation (for example, the publication of a special issue on African evaluation) The development of scholarly publications specifically related to evaluation theories and practices in Africa (e.g. a journal of the AfrEA)

In this 2-part session In the first part, we refresh our collective thinking regarding making evaluation our own by: Reviewing the broad assumptions we made in Niamey Providing further perspectives on the issues raised In the second part (afternoon), we: Agree on concrete programming framework Outline a set of actions on the theme Set-up a group to lead the process under the new AfrEA Board

Evaluation theory-building Scope Who leads How to proceed Possible partners – intellectual, funding

Evaluation Methods, Tools, based on African Traditions, Values, Worldview Scope Who leads How to proceed Possible partners – intellectual, funding

African Evaluation Standards Scope Who leads How to proceed Possible partners – intellectual, funding

Evaluation as Professional Discipline in African Institutions Scope Who leads How to proceed Possible partners – intellectual, funding

Evaluator Mentoring Initiative Scope Who leads How to proceed Possible partners – intellectual, funding

Knowledge Generation & Sharing through Journal of African Evaluation Scope Who leads How to proceed Possible partners – intellectual, funding

AfrEA has a new Board! 1.Dr. Florence Ettah – Presdient 2.Bennita – Secretary 3.Dr. Dominique Peolore -- Treasurer 4.Francoise – Member, Institutional 5.Bali, Madagasca -- Member 6.Nene, Mali -- Member 7.Issaka Troure, Bukina Fasso – Member 8.Ms... Egypt -- Member